From the Strait of Sicily to the Sicilian Ionian Sea: the expansion of Hemiramphus far (Forsskål, 1775) in Italian waters

Abstract

On 21st May 2021, a single specimen of Hemiramphus far was caught by an angler along the southeastern coast of Sicily (Ionian Sea). This species has only been recorded once before in Italian waters, in 2013 in Lampedusa (Strait of Sicily). The presence of H. far in the Sicilian Ionian Sea, eight years after its first observation in Lampedusa, could indicate the spread of this species in Italian waters. We report the first record of the species in the Italian Ionian Sea and discuss its presence in Italian waters. Furthermore, we offer some considerations on its further expansion and the possibility of using this new resource for human consumption.